The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1887-04-02
MINING NEWS.

The rapid disappearance of tn,
snow from the mountains and tn,
: advent of the genial, warm days o
spring are hailed with delight BIZ
the miners, Is both combined givs
: promise Of an early reopening O
roads and the speedy resumption
of active operations. A long anc
tedious winter always has q de
pressing effect upon q mining camp
and to worry through it require.
more than little patience. The
first indications denoting the throw
ing off of the icy letters and the
advance of spring are anxiously
watched for, and as the days grad
ually grow longer and longer, and
the great banks of snow succumt
to the warm rays of the sun, time
passes much quicker, while the
lethargy of winter is shaken of
and preparations begun for the
work of another season. Every
indication points to 4 season of un.
usual activity about the mines
during the coming months, and
once when operations have com.
menced they will be continued on
a far greater scale than heretofore,
until the storms of another winter
drive the wrestlers of earth's hid
den treasures back once more into
more seasonable and comfortable
quarters. 1t is very probable that
the mines on Warm Spring creek,
Bassett gulch and Boyle mountain
will cut an important figure in the
output of ore next season. During
the winter . great deal of work has
been done, attended with more or
less success, and a good showing
is made as a result. The owners
Of q number of claims in these To-
calities are highly pleased over the
prospects and intend to prosecute
the work on their mines more Wig
orously than ever at the earliest
possible time after the roads are
again in travelling condition. The
reports from Smoky district are Of
the most encouraging character,
and new strikes are reported every
few days. It is anticipated that at
least four hundred men will be at
work in the several mines and upon
claims by next June, while some
put the number to still greater
figure. 1t is gratifying to be able
to record the growing interest taken
in Smoky district mines and the
prediction made last year that the
district would soon become the
great mining camp of this part of
the territory will apparently be ver-
flied. Owing to the uncertainties
Of travel and the worse than no
mail facilities at present, only mea-
gre reports are Obtainable, but all
coming in are Of the same general
tenor and of the most encouraging
kind. In the King of the West,
Carrie Leonard, Dollarhide, Silver
Star, Tyrannis and several others,
4 great amount of work has been
lone during the winter and show
large bodies of ore. 1t will be q
busy time when shipments can be
resumed.
THE INDEPENDENCE.
A pump has been put in place
1t the independence mine and no
more difficulty is caused on ac-
count of water. An hours pump
ing keeps the mine dry. Ore is
being taken out, and developments
Turing the week are of more IA
v0rable nature than ever. The
Popham Brothers, the lessees, are
we'll satisfied with the prospects OF
the mine.
BOYLE MOUNTAIN.
Reports from the IRVINE mine,
on Boyle mountain, state that the
ore ledge is eight feet wide and
looking still better. From twenty
70 twenty-five tons are extracted
every day. There are now nearly
900 tons on the dump, and Mr.
Carey, the lessee, anticipates hav-
ing a thousand before the lease ex.
pires.
The leasers Of various claims on
the mountain arc all taking out
more or less ore, and expect the
cleanup will show good winters
work.
SMOKY DISTRICT.
William Ray, foreman of the
Carrie Leonard mine, was in town
on Wednesday and gives a good
account of the Smoky country. He
thinks the Carrie will hold her own
among the mines there, and as
| soop - the season fairly opens will
| give q good account of herself. The
new company proposes TO put
large force of men on the mine a.
speedily as possible.
VIM. Kirkham of Ketchum, now
working his claim over in Smoky
has struck . vein of gray copper
ore, carrying ruby silver, twenty
inches in width. His claim is 10.
Gated north of the Carrie Leonard